Method of ornamenting metal surfaces



E. HORTON.

METHOD OF ORNAMENTING METAL SURFACES. N 0. 278,552.

(No Model.)

Patented May 29,1883

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EVER.ETT'HORTON,OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

METHOD OF ORNAMENTING METAL SURFACES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 278,552, dated May 29, 1883.

Application filed March 21, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EVERETT HORTON, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvementin the Method ofOrnamen tingMetal Surfaces; and Idohereby declarethefollowing, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be afull, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part'of this specification, and represent,

Figure 1, an end view of the machine; Fig.

2, a top view. 7 V

This invention relates to an improvement in the method of ornamentingthe flat surfaces of metal plates, with special reference to the plates of clockmovements, but applicable to other purposes, the object being to give to the surface a waved or what is sometimes called a watered appearance; and the method consists in subjecting the plate to the action of a revolving tool, the axis of revolution being at substantially right angles to the plane of surface to be ornamented, and, while the tool is operating upon the surface, im-

parting to the plate to be ornamented a combined advancing and oscillatory movement in a plane at substantially right angles to the axis of therevolving tool, and as more fully hereinafter described.

The machine by which this method is carried into operation constitutes the subject of an independent application for Letters Patent filed in even date herewith; but I show in the accompanyingillustration so much of that ma: chine as will enablethose skilled in the art to carry out my new method of ornamenting metals. This machine consists of a bed, A, arranged upon a vertical spindle, B, and so that the bed maybe oscillated upon the spindle B as its axis of oscillation. On the upper surface of the bed A a serpentine groove, a, is

made, extending from end to end. Onto this bed a platen, G, is placed, havingupon its under side two studs, 1), one near either end. This platen C, is movable longitudinally on the surface of the bed A, and in such longitudinal movement the studs 11, working in the serpentine groove a, will impart to that platen an oscillatory movement corresponding to the path or line of the groove a, independent of the movement of the bed itself. Onto this platen O the plate, d, to be ornamented is secured. Above the bed is a cutter, 6, attached to a vertical spindle, f, supported in suitableibearings, and to which a revolving movement is given by the application of power thereto, the face of the cutter being substantially parallel with the surface of the plate to be ornamented, and is adjusted so as tojust dress the surface. This cutting-surface may be that commonly known as a milk or cutters may be applied in any known or convenient manner; or, instead of cutters, a mass of steel points may be inclosed in cylindrical form, the points acting upon the surface like cutters. The operator, having secured his plate, d, to be ornamented to the platen 0, moves the platen 0 forward in a longitudinal line by a handle, D, and at the same time imparts an oscillatory movement to the bed A--say by means of the handle E. This combined oscillatory movement of the bed A, and the serpentine path imparted to the platen which carries the plate, produces such a path for the cutter on the surface that the circular cuts or marks produced by the cutter give to the surface a watered or laminated appearance, highly pleasing to the e; e, and giving to the surface the appearance of a very expensive finish. One cutter having passed once over the surface on one line, the platen may be returned, the cutter passing near the first line of cut, but varying because of the necessarily varying movement of the plate, and so on until the entire surface of the plate has been treated.

I claim- The method herein described of ornamenting the surface of metal plates, consisting in imparting to the plate an advancing moveplane at substantially right angles to the 5 plane of the surface tolbe ornamented, substantially as described.

EVERETT HORTON.

Witnesses:

JOHN E. EARLE, J Os. 0. EARLE. 

